Allotment Devolved Management
Since Old Woughton Parish Council inherited the Patch Allotments, the management of the site has been carried out by a team of Parish Councillors. In this time a number of improvements have been made, including additional secure fencing, materials for the new composting toilet, the provision of used shipping containers to house the shop and provide additional storage space, allowing the hut to be used as a meeting and tea room. The general look of the site has improved, helped by the introduction of regular plot inspections and the fact that occupancy on the site has risen to 95%.
The Parish Council now considers that the future of the Patch is best 
served by devolved management, with the tenants taking over responsibility for this, with continuing support from OWPC. This was an approach under discussion before OWPC inherited the site and was suspended as a result of the change of ownership. The alternative would be for OWPC to employ a part time manager.
To this end a secret ballot was carried out, supervised by MK Council Electoral services, to determine the views of the tenants. With 57% of tenants voting, 65 were in favour and 20 against and therefore steps are now in progress to transfer the day to day management of the Patch Allotments to the tenants. This will happen in stages over the next year.
Update April 2018
A Devolved Management Agreement was signed in April 2018 between the Patch Allotment Association (PAA) and Old Woughton Parish Council. It came into effect at the start of the new patch year in October 2018. The PAA itself is run by an elected committee of tenants, supported by a management team responsible for day to day allotment management. The PAA also elects three independent Trustees (who do not have to be tenants), to help ensure delivery of the PAA’s obligations to OWPC under the new Agreement.
The Agreement allows the PAA to manage the allotments on behalf of the OWPC, thereby negating any need for the parish to employ a part time manager. In return funds from the allotment tenat rent money will be available to enhance the allotment infrastructure.
Update July 2024
After nearly six years of operation, following a review of theprocesses and owrking arrangements of the devolved management agreement, an updated version of the Devolved Management Agreement betweenn the OWPC and the PAA was signed in July 2024. This builds on the experiences of the last six years and formalises some of the processes surrounding the day to day operation of the agreement. A copy of this agreement can be found here.
